Daily Archives: September 27, 2010

After many months of training, much insecurity, and lots of stubbornness, yesterday I ran my first Half Marathon, at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon event.

It was hard, but good, and I would/will do it again.

A Half Marathon is 13.1 miles or 21 km, as compared to the full Marathon which is 26.2 miles or 42 km. I don’t mind saying that I am sufficiently buoyed by my finish to try the Half again, but that the Marathon is indeed a level of commitment above the Half. Full Marathoners, I salute you. But thanks for letting us Half-ers join the party.

The final kilometre was, I also don’t mind saying, the best kilometre I have ever run in my life. I would like to do it again, please.

And thanks to my friends and sister who were waiting at the end. It was great to have someone there to celebrate with.

Over the last few days I’ve heard a lot of people using the word “crazy” to refer to this kind of stuff. And I don’t have disrespect for that, because you know, it is sort of crazy. There is no immediate practical reason for anybody to do anything like this – let alone the FULL Marathon which is something that tests the physical limits of what the human body is capable of. (although I do think the benefits of running and distance training are many, but they accrue and are apparent in the long term) But I don’t think it’s any less crazy than any other mindful pursuit or commitment. We are all of us doing our own version of crazy. And I’ll say this much – running and then crossing a finish line, after any distance, is one of the most rewarding things I think I have ever done, and I think as many people as possible should have the benefit of that experience.

Today, my legs are tired, but I am glad to have finished. And I have the shiny finisher’s medal to prove it! Let’s do it again some time.